Message from Katy

Dear Renew Network

Paul perfectly describes the choice before the United Methodist Church as delegates and concerned Methodists make their way to St. Louis, where in just three weeks, they will decide the dividing issue of our time. Will we be conformed to the demands of our culture? Or not. Will we give in to the loud voices who want the church to liberalize her sexual ethic? Or not.

We are well aware that the church has been dealing with this issue for decades. The Commission on a Way Forward has been deliberating since shortly after General Conference 2016 and has come up with three plans. As traditional, orthodox, evangelical Methodists, we know that the Modified Traditional Plan is the only plan that does not conform to a worldly understanding of Human Sexuality, and the only plan that gives us any hope of transforming a hurting world that has lost its way.

Our progressive fellow Methodists disagree. They believe the One Church Plan is the answer to the impasse over sexuality. They firmly believe that both a scriptural and progressive view of sexuality can successfully be held together even though they are diametrically opposed to one another. They seem to ignore the division and decline of every denomination, who have embraced a progressive sexual ethic similar to the Once Church Plan before the United Methodist Church now.

I feel safe in saying: God means what He says in scripture; His Word does not have to be reinterpreted to be understood. But believing what is right and standing for the truth is just part of the battle. We must pray. The next four weeks are critical.

And as we pray, may we stand in humility calling on God’s grace to abound as we pray that the faith once delivered to the saints would be preserved in the United Methodist Church. May we pray with thankful hearts for all the work that has already been done and will be done at the conference. Let us pray God will move mightily in Saint Louis and that His will shall be done.

I am grateful to our brothers and sisters of the Wesley Covenant Association in the Texas Annual Conference for providing a 27 day Prayer Guide to use along with the prayers we individually are led to pray. You can find this guide here. You will also find the daily prayer from the guide posted on the Renew Facebook page.

As we enter the month of February, let us not lose heart or get distracted. But like Paul entreats us, may we each be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.